Versus generic off-the-shelf drawing software

Not specifically designed for visual strategic planning/outcomes. Not optimized for working in real-time in front of a group.

Can have significant learning curve and significant training and support burden due to its complexity.

Visually complex interfaces which can make it look like the presenter is 'playing with his/her software'

Groups can feel that the model is a product 'owned' by the presenter who's preoccupied with 'working' their drawing software. This breaks the spell which needs to be created in the room. The group needs to feel that the ideas in their heads are being seamlessly extracted and projected onto the wall in the room as their model is created.

Multiple formating and other options which the presenter has to decide amongst. Often it's not feasible to get the options right in real-time while working with a group. Can result in ugly, non-functional models and the presenter not being able to concentrate on the group facilitation task.

Typically not structured to encourage default building of compact modular models. Hence a model built for one purpose (e.g. for printing) cannot be adequately viewed and worked with when projected (resulting in the common 'you won't be able to read my diagram, but. . .' comment from presenters using normal drawing software.

Plethora of options can lead to models which are non-fuctional (e.g. colors which do not differentiate on a data projector).

Usually, only able to represent links between boxes as a drawn line. This has major limitations and prevents the building of compact, easily visualized, modular models which have cross-page links.

Usually, deleting a link between boxes for presentation purposes means that the link information is permanently lost.

Usually non-intelligent linking only using drawn lines means no automatic count and visualization of number of boxes connected to other boxes is possible.

Usually, lack of cloning
prevents ability to update the same box from one place right across the model.

Usually, no ability for cross-page linking
, hence encouraging the building of combersome, hard to overview, complex large single-page models.

DoView strategic planning/outcomes software

High usability values - intuitive, immediately easy for a presenter to use in real-time regardless of their computer skills.

Very low support and training burden due to simplicity.

Visually clear interface with only a few large icons on the toolbar. The audience can 'see' everything the presenter is doing.

Results in the group feeling that they 'own' the visual model they're collectively building.

Features and options deliberately limited to the optimal set presenters need. They are freed up to concentrate on facilitating the group to buiid their model.

Designed to help users quickly build modular compact models which can be optimally visualized across all media - data projected at 1024X768; in the software version; in the HTML version (compact enough for a tablet screen); and in any letter-sized printed versions.

Super quick drill-down to new page
function makes it easy to build large modular models on-the-fly when working with groups.

Optimized to ensure the presenter can quickly create elegant and functional models (e.g. the default projector-optimized
pastel colors can all be differentiated on a data projector while still allowing for black text to be seen against the pastel background when printed).

Unique 'DoView Link' which visualizes a link between boxes separately from its representation as a drawn line. This solves the major problem in normal drawing software of only being able to represent links using a drawn line. This limitation leads directly to users having to create large single page models which cannot be adequately visualized on a data projector screen, tablet screens or when printed on normal-sized paper.

Able to turn drawn link lines on and off without deleting the underlying DoView Link. Hence link information is not lost just because the user wants ot have their presentation uncluttered with links.

Innovative count links
function allows rapid visualization of how many boxes are linked to any other box. This allows line-of-sight
analysis of whether projects are focused on priorities in visual strategic planning and other applications.

Cloning
allows the same object to appear in multiple places within the model. This allows quick updating in one place which takes effect right across the model.

Seamless cross-page linking
allows links to be made with the DoView Link across pages. As a result, large modular models can be built without loss of the ability to make links between boxes located on different pages.

Details can be stored about boxes, links and other objects, enabling full documentation of the model.

Page sizes based on multiples of 1x1 compact pages. This ensures quick estimation of the number of 1x1 compact pages that can fit onto a poster.

Default 1x1 compact page structure also makes it natural to include additional slides containing information when presenting (e.g. Introduction etc.). This, in combination with the ability to document details about objects, mean that DoView combines the key features of three independent software functions: 1) modeling; 2) presentation; and 3) documentation. This creates serious efficiencies because three different software files don't need to be updated independently.

Easily created HTML versions of model allow for the DoView file which created them to be embedded with the HTML version. Therefore anyone can download it and amend and save their own version of the model (ideal for sharing best practice).

On the one hand, lean innovative, simple, cutting edge specialized software for conducting strategic and outcomes conversations in real-time in front of groups. While also providing the most efficient way of quickly modeling complex relationships between boxes on different pages within a single visual model for a range of purposes (e.g. line-of-sight alignment, curriculum mapping etc.).